2023-06-12 16:02:24
The Artemis Hunters have walked a tightrope, and that could be dangerous. After losing the subseries against the Alazanes de Granma 3-2, they also lost against the Toros de Camagüey, and have fallen to sixth place. I am still confident that they are about to qualify, but the difference between the competing teams… is minimal.
Now they are four games away from the top, ahead of the Cubs of Holguín and the Tigres of Ciego de Ávila, at 5 and 5.5, respectively, not far enough.
And beyond the imaginary line of the classification, Huracanes, Leopardos, Toros, Piratas and even Alazanes and Vegueros are lurking, since the separation between all of them can be erased with just a few victories, if those who march in leading positions allow themselves more than one slip.
Between glory and a frustrated dream, the margin is very narrow. For this reason, the people of Artemisa cannot give in. The smallest detail costs a victory: each victory is a step towards glory, while each slip makes that dream still within their reach fade a little further.
At least on paper and from what was seen until three days ago, Camagüey looked like a team that could win the subseries and even get one or two more successes, just like Guantánamo, its next rival.
However, they fell in the first match by a resounding 12-1 and, in the first game of the double bill, after coming back from 5-1, they let the victory escape. For the second consecutive occasion, Yunieski García, one of his aces, was hit freely, although he was not the one who lost the game; on the contrary, he could have won it.
The worst news happened in the second, because his other ace, Geonel Gutiérrez, after striking out five in three and two-thirds innings, without issuing tickets and with just one hit against, had to leave the mound injured. And the left-handed man from Artemisa is sorely needed by this troop.
Luckily, in this match, Israel Sánchez made sure that Artemisa’s followers did not miss him, as he closed the challenge without allowing scores, at the rate of three strikeouts and one walk.
On Sunday it cannot be said that Elián Moreno worked poorly. However, little by little they marked him. Finally, they made five runs; On the other hand, those at home only made three, one of them for a home run by Osbel Pachecho. Osmel Solano batted 4-3.
Yulieski González’s boys hit so much, until just a few subs, that they still lead a large part of the offensive departments: runs (with 412 and they are the only ones over 400), average (320), OBP (417), slugging (445 ), OPS (862), RBIs (363), and are the fewest strikeouts (223 times).
So? Simple: they leave too many brokers in circulation, endless missed opportunities. On top of that, just four pitching staffs are hit more, only three teams tolerate more runs… and only three allow more earned runs.
There are six games left (not counting the pending ones, suspended due to rain), including the one that was played at the close of our print edition. The last rival will be Guantánamo, already eliminated and at the bottom of the standings. There is no choice but to take on the Indians, and ensure classification at their expense.
#hunters #tightrope